


Court of Ravens

by Ischa



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Gen, Ghosts, Halloween, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-21
Updated: 2013-10-21
Packaged: 2017-12-30 01:33:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1012432
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ischa/pseuds/Ischa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Frank spends Halloween with the Way brothers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Court of Ravens

**Author's Note:**

  * For [turps](https://archiveofourown.org/users/turps/gifts).



> For turps33. Her prompt was 'MCR gen – ghosts'.   
> Like most of my MCR stories this one is about the Ways as well.   
> Beta: Icalynn.

~+~

Mikey was staring outside the window with an intent that…well, he only got this way around Gerard and maybe when he was reading Batman.

“Okay, what is it?” Frank asked looking up from this new insane thing Gerard had made only last night. Gerard was always fucking creative, even with his breakfast when he was awake enough, he would slur some haiku about the goodness of coffee. Frank really should tape those one day. Gerard got even more creative during the winter months. October in particular.

“Ravens,” Mikey said. “It’s said ravens and crows are able to communicate with the dead.”  
Frank fucking hated ghosts. Mostly because they were dead people without a body, but with a grudge. Why else would you want to linger?

“It’s said the can bring souls back too and that they can steal yours.”

“I don’t think,” Mikey replied, “That souls and ghosts are the same thing.”

Frank let himself fall back onto Gerard’s bed. It smelled slept in and kinda rank. These boys needed a fucking maid. And he knew Misses Way was way too busy to clean this mess more than once a month. And besides they were old enough to do it themselves.

“Because souls are gentle and ghosts are evil?” Frank asked, closing his eyes.

“Because souls are in a body and ghosts usually don’t have one,” Mikey said.

“What do you mean by usually?” Frank asked. It was such a weird thing to say. Usually. Like…what the fuck? Ghosts where lost souls, that was what Frank’s priest said and souls only had a body as long as they were alive.

“Usually,” Mikey said in that maddening tone that meant Frank would not get a single fucking explanation that made sense to anyone, except maybe Gerard.

The Ways were weird like that. It didn’t bother him much.

~+~  
The Ways always got weirder around Halloween. Even Misses Way, who was pretty weird on any given day and like no other mom Frank has ever met.

“What’s that for?” Frank asked as he looked at a circle on the wall. It looked…well, kinda meaningful.

“To keep the creatures from the other side at bay, Frankie,” she said.

“Okay…” Frank replied.

“Be a dear and throw the salt under the door. In a straight line?”

“Sure,” Frank said. Weird. But Frank liked it. “It keeps away evil, right?”

“Yes,” Misses Way replied, “And all other kinds of supernatural things.”

It was no use to argue about the existence of supernatural things with the Ways. All of them. Every single one, even Helena and she was pretty sane, believed in the supernatural. Frank too, kinda. When he was here at the Way house, because everything here seemed a bit scary and magical. It was hard to explain. Really.

He threw salt under the door in a thick straight line. It wasn’t like this behavior was harming anyone.

~+~  
Frank was too early, but he couldn’t contain his glee at his awesome costume any longer, so he had kissed his mother’s cheek and dashed off to the Ways, because since they had become friends, Frank quickly realized that the only place to be on Halloween was at the Way house. His mom didn’t mind.  
They were nearly too old for trick or treating, but, it was free candy and besides, Frank was still small for is age.

He dashed around the house to the small basement window. It was their base after all and Gerard left the window unlocked so Frank could come in any time. Probably because Gerard was a lazy fuck as well and didn’t want to climb the stairs to open the front door if he didn’t have to.  
He was stealthy as he crept around the house and to the window, he wanted to surprise them with his awesome monster-mask and maybe give them a scare. It wasn’t easy after all to give the Ways a scare.  
He crouched down and pressed his face against the dirty window.

Gerard was already in his costume. A hood obscured his face, and his skin looked pale and luminous. Like it was maybe touched by moonlight or some shit. Frank sometimes got romantic like that. But it was a dark romance. Black really. Very manly.

He shook his head and concentrated on the boys inside the basement. Mikey was taking off his shirt and that was probably the best moment to scare them, but then Frank paused. Mikey had his back to Gerard and Gerard was painting something on his back with a dark reddish paint. Or maybe, his mind supplied, blood. Frank held his breath. He didn’t want to interrupt and he really wanted to know – was this part of a costume? Probably not.

Gerard was painting it carefully, but with what seemed like practiced ease with his pale finger. Mikey seemed to shudder slightly.

The symbol looked familiar – at least what he could make out of it. He’s seen it before, Frank was sure of it. He put his hand to the glass and it opened, he didn’t mean to push it, but he wasn’t thinking clearly.

Gerard looked in his direction. His eyes were intense and he looked like some kind of ancient priest waiting for a virgin to sacrifice. Frank was a virgin, but then, so were they. He took a breath when he let himself fall to the floor. Gerard had resumed painting the symbol on Mikey's back.

“Let it dry,” Gerard said and placed a soft looking kiss to Mikey’s spine.

Mikey nodded. Frank was staring at his back. It was blood, mixed with something, probably dirt.

“So?” Frank asked. He didn’t know how to follow that up, but whatever. Gerard got him. Gerard just got people.

“It keeps him Earthbound,” Gerard said.

“Okay?” Frank had no fucking idea what that meant. A sudden thud against the window made him jump.

“Only a raven,” Mikey said. He was looking outside the window. “By midnight there will be hundreds of them swarming the house.”

“Why?” Frank asked.

“Because they want to bring me back where I-”

“Don’t fucking say it,” Gerard cut in sharply, “Because it’s not true. You belong here. No matter what. You belong with me,” Gerard said firmly.

Mikey smiled one of this tiny smiles. Frank was putting pieces together in his head. And when he came up with an answer it wasn’t…normal.  
“You’re dead,” he stated, looking at Mikey. “I mean-”

“Yes and no,” Mikey said.

“The ravens and crows outside want to claim your soul, so you can rest in peace,” Frank said. He sounded like an insane person.

Mikey nodded.

“Frank-” Gerard started.

“I need a fucking moment and a drink,” Frank cut in.  
Gerard nodded and got the hidden stash of cheap vodka.   
Frank drank deeply and then grimaced. That shit was evil. “How long?”

“Since he was three,” Gerard said. “We couldn’t let go. Helena knows things.”

“But I can touch him!”

“It’s the dirt and blood, it keeps me grounded, it keeps me here, it helps to create a somewhat human form,” Mikey shrugged. So much of Mikey’s behavior suddenly made so much sense. The way he stepped back so Gerard could have the spotlight, the way he didn’t want to be noticed or remembered too well.  
Another bird smashed against the window. Frank looked over, weary.

“I think they grow in strength year after year,” Mikey said, looking at them too.

“They weren’t able to get you and they won’t until it’s time,” Gerard said firmly.

Mikey didn’t answer. Frank wondered how far his parents would go to keep him. Probably not as far as Mikey’s family. He wasn’t sure Mikey was lucky or not.  
This raven thing would only get worse with time. Frank looked from Mikey to the birds and back to Mikey again. “I want to help,” he said.  
Gerard smiled at him.  
Mikey looked at the messengers of death outside in their backyard. Frank didn’t ask what he was thinking.


End file.
